Luggage rack antenna with opposite feed points



R. CLANTON Oct. 27, 1964 LUGGAGE RACK ANTENNA WITH OPPOSITE FEED POINTS Filed April 3, 1963 INVENTOR. meg/1 0 Cum Ta] ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fi ice 3,154,786 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 3,154,786 LUGGAGE RACK ANTENNA WITH OPPOSITE FEED POINTS Richard Clanton, 847 Gilchrist Ava, Linden, NJ. Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 270,234 3 Ciaims. (iii. 343713) The invention relates generally to antennas, and particularly to high gain transmission antennas for the top of a motor vehicle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a transmission antenna which radiates a signal in a highly efiicient manner.

It is another object of this invention to provide a transmission antenna Which is efiective over great distances and transmits a signal of constant intensity without flutter, and substantially without directional discrimination.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a high gain transmission antenna which is relatively unobtrusive, is pleasing in appearance, and may readily be considered to be a motor vehicle baggage rack when installed.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the device shown by way of illustration in the drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the antenna as it appears installed on top of a motor vehicle; and

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the corner of the antenna taken on the line 22 in FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Vehicular antennas are generally installed spaced well away from the body of the motor vehicle, in order that they may radiate efiiciently. I have found that it is p ssible to design a high gain transmission antenna which will be non-directional, efiicient in its radiation, will have an unobtrusive appearance, and be mounted close to a vehicular body.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the invention is embodied, by way of illustration, in the antenna shown in FIGURE 1 in which there are a pair of generally C- shaped electrically conductive members 11, 12. The open ends 13 of the C-shaped members are spaced apart by dielectric bars 14, 15. The members 11, 12 'are made f aluminum tubing, and the ends of the bars 14, 15 fit into the ends of the tubing.

The members 11, 12 are arranged above each other in general parallelism with each other and in spaced relation to each other. A pair of connectors 16, 16 made of electrically conductive material are connected to the ends of the top and bottom C-shaped members 11, 12 at the front gaps defined by the open ends 13, 13. The middle of the connectors 16 have connections and serve as pairs of feed points for the transmitter.

A corner post 17 is attached to the top and bottom members 11, 12 at the front corner, adjacent to the open ends 13. At the rear of the C-shaped members 11, 12, opposite the open front end 13, a pair of electrically conductive spacers '18, 18 are attached to the members 11, 12 to hold them together and to maintain the members 11, 12 in general parallelism with each other. At the middle of each of the spacers 18, 18 an electrically conductive arm 19 is attached and disposed in general parallelism with the members 11, 12 in spaced relation and equidistant from them. These arms 19 extend inwardly toward each other. The ends 20 define pairs of feed points for the transmitter. They are stabilised by the bar 21 which is made of dielectric material and connects them together. Pairs of opposite feed points are connected together by coaxial cable 22, and thence to the transmitter by the cable 23 attached to the coupling 24.

The C-shaped members 11, 12 are preferably made of aluminum tubing and connected by various fittings. FIG- URE 2 shows tubular rods 25 which make up the sides of the members 11, 12. A corner fitting 26 has ends 27 of lesser cross-sectional area to be fitted into the rods 25. The vertical spacers 18 receive the ends 28 of the adaptors 29. The adaptors 2% have enlarged diameter heads 30, with arcuate seats 31 to conform to and engage with the external curvature of the rods 25, or the spacers 18. A bolt 32 connects the rod 25 to the adaptor 29 and the spacer 13. Similarly, a bolt 33 connects the spacer 15 at the middle to another adaptor 29, and to the arm 19. The corner fitting 26 is connected to the rods 25 by the screw 34.

At each corner of the C-shaped members 11, 12 a suction cup 35 is attached to the lower C-shaped member 12 and the cups are engaged with the top of a motor vehicle 36. The device when so applied, resembles a top-mounted luggage rack, and its purpose as an antenna is disguised.

Copper can be used for the entire C-shaped members instead of aluminum which, however, has the advantage of weathering better. The antenna is dimensioned to approximately 38 inches square; it is tuned to approximately two meters. If it is elongated so that the pairs of opposite sides are longer by approximately 18 inches, operation in the six meter band is attained. While it has been stated that mounting may be on suction cups, the exact method of mounting is a matter of choice. It may be strapped to the top, or to rain gutters and mounted upon dielectric legs. It may be mounted on a wooden luggage rack as a side guard rail.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

What is claimed:

1. An antenna comprising (a) a pair of generally C-shaped, superposed members with ends defining central gaps at the front and arranged in spaced relation to each other,

(b) a pair of connectors, each connecting the ends of the superposed members,

(c) a pair of spacers, each connecting the pairs of superposed members at the rear opposite the central ps,

(d) a pair of arms between the superposed members, each attached at one end to one of the spacers and extending toward the other arm,

(e) the other ends of the arms defining a pair of connecting points,

(1) the middle of the connectors defining a corresponding pair of connecting points.

2. An antenna comprising (a) a pair of generally C-shaped, superposed, electrically conductive members with ends defining central gaps at the front and arranged in spaced relation to each other,

(b) a pair of dielectric bars connecting the ends which define the central gap,

(c) a pair of electrically conductive connectors each connecting the ends of the superposed members,

(d) a pair of electrically conductive spacers, each connecting the pairs of superposed members at the rear opposite the central gaps,

(e) a pair of arms between and in general parallelism With the superposed members, each attached at one end to one of the spacers and extending toward the other arm.

3. An antenna comprising (a) a pair of generally C-shaped, superposed, electrically conductive members with ends defining central gaps at the front and arranged in spaced relation to each other,

(b) a pair of dielectric bars connecting the ends which define the central gap,

(0) a pair of electrically conductive connectors each connecting the ends of the superposed members, (d) a pair of electrically conductive spacers, each connecting the pairs of superposed members at the rear opposite the central gaps,

(e) a pair of arms 'between and in general parallelism with the superposed members, each attached at one 4 end to one of the spacers and extending toward the other arm, (f) the other ends of the arms defining a pair of connecting points, (g) the middle of each of the connectors also defining a corresponding pair of connecting points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,621,404 Harvey Mar. 15, 1927 I 2,322,126 Grimditch June 15, 1943 2,702,604 Hocks et a1 Feb. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 584,900 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1947 890,825 Germany Sept. 21, 1953 1,127,674 France Aug. 13, 1956 

2. AN ANTENNA COMPRISING (A) A PAIR OF GENERALLY C-SHAPED, SUPERPOSED, ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS WITH ENDS DEFINING CENTRAL GAPS AT THE FRONT AND ARRANGED IN SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER. (B) A PAIR OF DIELECTRIC BARS CONNECTING THE ENDS WHICH DEFINE THE CENTRAL GAP (C) A PAIR OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE CONNECTORS EACH CONNECTING THE ENDS OF THE SUPERPOSED MEMBERS, (D) A PAIR OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SPACERS, EACH CONNECTING THE PAIRS OF SUPERPOSED MEMBERS AT THE REAR OPPOSITE THE CENTRAL GAPS, (E) A PAIR OF ARMS BETWEEN AND IN GENERAL PARALLELISM WITH THE SUPERPOSED MEMBERS, EACH ATTACHED AT ONE END TO ONE OF THE SPACERS AND EXTENDING TOWARD THE OTHER ARM. 